Eye spy

I read your article on myopia with great interest (10 July, p 12). I too am quite near-sighted, and since early childhood, have been an avid reader of any printed material I have come across. I have by now reached the stage where I am unable to visit our local restaurants without compulsively reading and spell-checking the menus.

Having applied the same diligence to reading your article, I would like to point out that the picture seems to show a child wearing glasses for far-sightedness, and not myopia. The lenses seem to enlarge the child's face, and not make it appear smaller, as lenses to correct myopia do. Maybe the caption should not read "Too much reading?" but "Too little reading?"

Of course, you are in good company here: In William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, the stranded children use the lenses of a pair of glasses taken ...

To continue reading this article, subscribe to receive access to all of newscientist.com, including 20 years of archive content.

To continue reading this article, log in or subscribe to New Scientist

App + web

Web

Smartphone

Tablet

$25.99 - Save 65%

12 issues for $2.17 per issue

with continuous service

Print + web

Print

Web

$28.99 - Save 61%

12 issues for $2.42 per issue

with continuous service

Print + app + web

Print

Web

Smartphone

Tablet

$39.99 - Save 73%

12 issues for $3.33 per issue

with continuous service

Web

Web only

$49.99

30 day web pass

Prices may vary according to delivery country and associated local taxes.